


The Farewells of Elves and Men

by Snabulous



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Final farewells, M/M, Suppressed Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-15 10:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9231335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snabulous/pseuds/Snabulous
Summary: It is the end of the elves' time in Middle Earth. Very few remain, and Legolas finds himself feeling the call of the sea. He decides to visit Aragorn one last time before he leaves Middle Earth for good.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Elvish translations can be found in the notes at the end of the work.

"Aragorn."

The King of Gondor turned to face the familiar voice which called to him. It was quiet in his hall. Late was the hour, far too late for visitors. And yet before him stood someone, a friend, one whom he had not seen in a very long time. 

"Legolas." Aragorn was frozen in his shock. "What are you doing here?"

Legolas hesitated. A look of sorrow passed his eyes. "(1)Amin tula a' nyara lle namaarie."

"You are going to Aman?" The tone of surprise in his own voice confused Aragorn. Legolas was an elf, and the Grey Havens was where his people were. It would almost be _wrong_ for him not to go.

Legolas took a step closer to Aragorn, as if trying to apologize. He looked as if he wanted to reach out, but he did not. "Yes. Gimli is becoming old. I wish to take him there before he passes, so that he may see the Undying Lands, as he deserves."

Aragorn laughed. "Of course. Gimli is going with you."

Legolas looked pained. "I would have you come with us, you _must_ know I would, if you could come." He moved closer still. He looked so incredibly sad.

Aragorn made the gap between them small. He grasped Legolas's arm to comfort him and to gound himself and said, "I know you would, my dear friend. But I cannot leave Gondor. Or Arwen."

"(2)Amin sinta," Legolas replied softly. "I know." In the small distance that remained between them, a quiet sadness, a regret, pooled between them, a ghost of what could have been but is not. Aragorn had long forgotten this feeling, but here, in the presence of his Elvish friend, he remembered it all too well.

"Legolas, I-" He stopped. _Legolas, I what? Legolas, I want to go with you? Legolas, when you are gone, I miss you so much that it pains me to think of you? Legolas, I-_

"What?" Blue, flittering eyes passed scrutinizingly over the aged face before him.

"Nothing. Forget I spoke."

"It is forgotten." It was not forgotten.

But Legolas knew what he meant. He did not voice this. He felt the same, but he could not leave Middle Earth knowing he left Aragorn with that knowledge. He could not divide his dear friend in two.

"(3)Lle natule iant, mellon'nin" Legolas said, as if he had just noticed the silver hairs dominating the once-dark head and beard of the King of Gondor.

Aragorn smiled again, showing off white teeth. "Yes, I have. You have as well, Legolas, but you still do not show it anywhere but your eyes." He laughed and put what he intended to be a friendly hand on the elf's face, but his touch was far too tender and longing, so he dropped it back to his side quickly.

Legolas smiled wistfully, ignoring the slight uptick in his heartbeat. "You still have many years left in you. It is a shame I cannot stay longer, and see you to the end."

"A shame indeed." Aragorn was no longer grinning. He was beginning to realize that he would never see his friend again after this meeting. Suddenly, he didn't want him to go.

"I must depart soon." Legolas took a step backward. "It is a long journey to the Grey Havens, and an even longer one to the Undying Lands. Gimli waits for me." 

"Of course." Aragorn moved back as well. "Arwen is with my son now. I am sure they both would be glad to see you. Eldarion asks about you often."

"I cannot linger here much longer," Legolas answered, but he brightened at the mention of Aragorn's child. "I came only to see you."

The both of them, man and elf, were silent for a moment. They both thought of things they wished to say, but neither said any of them.

Then, pushing away his many thoughts, Legolas said quietly, almost in a whisper, "I wish you luck, for the rest of your days, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, King of Gondor." Legolas smiled again, softly. Aragorn would miss that smile greatly. "May you live joyfully and peacefully for the remainder of your years."

Aragorn returned the smile, but it was sadder than the other's. "And you, Legolas Greenleaf, I wish you a successful journey to the Undying Lands. I hope you find all the happiness you deserve."

"Goodbye, Aragorn." Legolas sounded sorrowful again, but he continued to smile anyway.

"Goodbye, Legolas." Aragorn's eyes began to burn, but no tears escaped. Things he wasn't sure he could say aloud raced through his mind.

Then the elf began to turn away, but a hand caught his arm. "Legolas."

He looked back. "Yes?"

Aragorn hesitated, sighed. He connected their eyes in an attempt to convey oceans of meaning in small rivers of words. "I... I will miss you. With all my heart. Not a day shall pass that I do not think of you." Everything he meant to say was not entirely apparent, but, again, Legolas understood.

The elf's eyes glinted knowingly in the darkness, and he answered, his tone meaningful, "And I you, Aragorn." He came forward and hugged his friend close, but broke away quickly. In a moment of weakness, he glanced longingly at Aragorn's lips. Aragorn noticed, but he didn't have to ask. He knew.

With this newfound definite knowledge also came a sort of gentle peace that washed over him like the rising tide. Legolas was different from Arwen. In the Undying Lands, he would transform his love into something even more beautiful than the stars in the sky and the forests of the earth. It would live on there, with him, more than a dream, but _life_. Suddenly, Aragorn was not so sorrowful about their separation. 

"(4)Namaarie, mellon'nin." Legolas released him in that moment, thus creating a gap between them that they were both entirely too aware of. He stepped away, farther and farther, until he was wrapped in the midnight darkness, no longer visible to Aragorn's aging eyes.

And then he was gone. Within months, Legolas Greenleaf was going towards the Undying Lands to rejoin his people, along with Gimli. Aragorn remained in Gondor, continuing his peaceful and powerful reign. He often thought of Legolas, but he was still happy, as he had many memories to draw upon. He still had Arwen and their children, and he loved them with all his heart. And so the King was happy for the rest of his days, but he never saw nor heard from Legolas again.

**Author's Note:**

> The following is the translations of the Elvish used in the story:  
> (1) I have come to say goodbye. [Lit. I come to tell you farewell.]  
> (2) I know. [Lit. I know.]  
> (3) You have aged, my friend. [Lit. You become old, my friend.]  
> (4) Goodbye, my friend. [Lit. Farewell, my friend.] 
> 
> Also, for those of you who do not know, in the paragraph where Aragorn says "Eldarion asks about you often;" Eldarion is the name of Aragorn's son and heir. 
> 
> As always, if you know more about Elvish grammar and language, please, please, please, let me know if I've done anything incorrectly, as I am not fluent in Elvish in any way. I spend as much time on the translations as I deem necessary, but I'm still not sure about my accuracy. It is helpful to me, as I wish for my works to be as good and correct as I can possibly make them. 
> 
> Elvish language resources: 
> 
> http://www.grey-company.org/Circle/language/com2elv.htm#f  
> http://www.grey-company.org/Circle/language/grammar.htm


End file.
